Open Thread for September 24, 2021

 Posted by at 6:55 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 242021
 

Yesterday, it was (IMO) cold again. I turned on my portable heater. Eventually it warmed up some. If the forecast holds, it’ll be perfect for my drive on October 1, but the forecasts haven’t been holding that long as a rule. I can only hope.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

HuffPost – The Senate May Actually Produce A Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Bill
Quote – Senate and White House aides involved in months of negotiations on a VAWA reauthorization bill tell HuffPost that despite the relative silence on the subject, they’re feeling optimistic about unveiling bipartisan legislation ― and soon. “We are encouraged by the progress in the Senate and are looking forward to a bipartisan bill being introduced this fall,” said a White House official familiar with talks on a VAWA bill.
Click through for the story. I’m not holding my breath, but I am somewhat hopeful.

The Hill – Debt ceiling fight pits corporate America against Republicans
Quote – The debt ceiling battle on Capitol Hill is pitting corporate America against congressional Republicans in a test for business groups that have historically aligned with GOP lawmakers on economic issues. Senate Republican leaders are digging in on their opposition to raising or suspending the debt limit, prompting sharp warnings from lobbying groups that represent some of the biggest U.S. corporations.
Click through for details. Republicans may kowtow to bug business … but apparently there’s not one in a hundred who actualy understands how business works. But I guess that shouldn’t be surprising.

Crooks and Liars – ‘Epik Hack’ Is Right Wing’s Worst Nightmare
Quote – “It’s massive. It may be the biggest domain-style leak I’ve seen and, as an extremism researcher, it’s certainly the most interesting,” said Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University who studies right-wing extremism. “It’s an embarrassment of riches — stress on the embarrassment.”
Click through for the story to this point. I assume no one here wants (I certainly don’t) to track any of this down personally and get any of these sites into their browser history, but if you do, Twitter is the place to start looking.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for September 23, 2021

 Posted by at 6:44 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 232021
 

Yesterday, it was cool again.  Or maybe I should say what most people would call cool.  My body does not recognize “cool” as a thing.  It recognizes three temperature ranges – uncomfortably hot, comfortably warm, and freakin’ cold.  So I wrapped up in a warm winter bathrobe – over my clothes – and finally got my hands to the point where I could no longer use tham as an icepack.   I never did get my feet to that point.  This explains why I am not really ready for fall.  But it is what it is.  It may get warmer for at least a few days.  We’ll see.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

I’m quoting this comment in full because it puts things in perspective. It’s from Bernardo de La Paz at Democratic Underground.
Which is more likely?
A) It takes time to get it all right because you get only one chance with the main case against an ex-President.
B) The case is huge because more stuff is being discovered.
C) A and B.
D) Garland is corrupt.
E) Garland is incompetent despite being nominated to the Supreme Court and to Attorney-General.
F) Obama and Biden are incompetent or worse because Garland is incompetent or worse and they nominated him to the Supreme Court and to Attorney-General.
If you choose to click through, you can click through again and see all the comments, not just the reactions to this one, but also reactions to the original tweet.

The Hill – House passes bill to prevent shutdown and suspend debt limit
Quote – Democrats are nonetheless attaching the debt limit suspension through Dec. 16, 2022, to a must-pass bill to avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1 in an attempt to pressure Republicans to drop their threats. It’s also unclear if the reconciliation package would be ready in time to be used as a legislative vehicle for addressing the debt limit.
Click through if you like. It’s the same old Republican tactic We’ve seen this movie way too many times already.

Wonkette – Border Patrol / Slave Patrol, Tomato / Other Tomato
Quote – At least one officer of the federal government cosplaying a slave catcher used a whip against the migrants. One officer on horseback yelled, “This is why your country’s shit, because you use your women for this.” The people that Customs and Border Protection officers were attacking were returning to the US with supplies for a group of thousands of people who have been living under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas. People living there say they are just trying not to starve to death.
Click through for details. You may have seen this elsewhere (maybe not as bluntly.) DHS could be useful if its mission were turned around to focus on domestic terrorism – provided its focus was on white terrorists.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 9/21/21

 Posted by at 11:43 am  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 212021
 

Glenn Kirschner – More Indictments Coming From NY DA Vance, Per Today’s Hearing in Weisselberg/Trump Org. Court Case

The Lincoln Project – Brian Kemp Laugh Track

politicsrus – Afghanistan Truth HD

RepresentUs – The Freedom to Vote Act Summary and Explanation. This is not the JohnLewis Act – it is the one which originates in the Senate … and therefore has a chance of passing. And it’s likely the best we are going to get. Ask yourself would we be better off with it or without it before picking at what it doesn’t do.

Robert Reich – 10 Years Since Occupy – What Did We Learn?

Armageddon Update – 9-11: We Forgot to Never Forget

Founders Sing – Here They Come Again

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, mistakes, and the 1950s…. I rest my case (I’m blue in the face from repeating it myself, though nit as well as this presentation.)

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Open Thread for September 21, 2021

 Posted by at 7:29 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 212021
 

Yesterday, I slept in a couple of hours – no cool dreams, but I awoke to a day cool enough to shut off all the fans again. Of course. I surely could have used that kind of weather Sunday. Today is supposed to stay cool-ish, and then back to the fans for another week. Of course that’s not carved in stone. Incidentally, today is the day the US celebrates the Chinese Moon Festival (China celebrates for 3 days). If there is an Asian grocery near you, you might want to see whether they have any extra Mooncakes. Yum.

Cartoon – 21 21Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Eric Trump Has A Fit On Fox News Over Getting Subpoenas ‘Every Single Day’
Quote – Eric Trump complained on Sunday that the Trump Organization and the Trump family is facing an onslaught of investigations and that they are forced to respond to subpoenas “every single day.”
Click through for complete whine. No extra charge for projection. But, if he’s telling the truth about receiving tham, that os good news indeed.

The Hill – Drug companies on verge of sinking longtime Democratic priority
Quote – The bill at the center of the fight, H.R. 3, would allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs by tying them to the lower prices paid by other high-income countries. The measure is projected to free up around $700 billion through the money it saves on drug purchases — covering a big chunk of the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending plan.
CLick through for background. This is the kind of story that often geets overlooked, but shouldn’t.

The 19th – ‘We’re seeing shock.’ Texas abortion clinics are now operating as trauma centers
Quote – When patients arrive at [Whole Woman’s Health in Fort Worth], she said, they are aware of the realities of the new law: Abortion past six weeks is now illegal, with no exceptions for rape and incest. Still, they can hardly process that there’s little the clinic can do to help them…. For patients they can’t treat, clinic staff offer to schedule appointments with providers out of state. To date, not a single patient at Whole Woman’s Health in Fort Worth has taken them up on it. Most are taken aback by the offer, Sadler said. They’ve already had to take time off of work, find child care and transportation, even leave meals for family at home just to make it through the door at her clin
Click through for more. The 19th is (as you might guess by reading the 19th Amendment) woman-centered, and this article puts a face on the issue which most publications don’t.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 9/18/21

 Posted by at 11:58 am  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 182021
 

Glenn Kirschner – If the J6 Rally on 9/18 is Relatively Peaceful, What Will That Tell Us About the Violence of 1/6?

Meidas Touch – Governor Newsom gives his victory speech after defeating the recall.

The Lincoln Project – The Fox Virus

MSNBC – State Republicans Seek Voters’ Personal Info As GOP Vote Count Stunts Threaten Security

Don Winslow Films – #TexasWarOnWomen

Parody Project – WITH THIS CREW

Beau – Let’s talk about General Milley’s actions….

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Open Thread for September 18, 2021

 Posted by at 7:26 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 182021
 

Yesterday, it was cool enough for me to turn off all the ceiling fans. Unfortunately, the same cannot be predicted for tomorrow. All protections against destruction by overheating of electronic, food, and whatever are go. Ironically, the visitation room itself is kept so cold all year round that I will still need a winter sweater inside (as well as a tank top under it to drive home in.) Good times.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Wonkette – Philly Cops Beat A Woman And Stole Her Kid For An Insipid Photo-Op — Now She Gets $2 Million
Quote – Philadelphia police have never even attempted to justify or explain their actions that night, which they normally do. They normally at least make up some kind of story about how they were frightened for their lives, how they thought the person they assaulted was someone else. But they didn’t, which sure does make it look like these cops were just enraged by the protests over another horrific police shooting and decided to take that out, violently, on a random Black woman, teenager, and toddler who were just trying to get home.
Click through for the story. This takes me back five years to when I started doing “Everyday Erinyes” and could easily find up to three stories like this every week (without the settlement) – except that this one is uglier than most. I guess I’ll seriously start calling it Phobadelphia, PA

The Hill – Pandemic frustrations zero in on unvaccinated Americans
Quote – Experts support stricter actions like mandates to boost the vaccination rate and protect the public, although several also encourage patience while acknowledging the increased irritation. President Biden and others, however, have indicated their “patience is wearing thin.”
Click through for advice which may be good but is virtually impossible to folow. Turns out sane people do not like people who willfully endanger them and their loved ones. Who knew.

Crooks and Liars – Dirty Trickster James O’Keefe Loses $165K To ‘Fraudsters’
Quote – Take a deep breath. Try not to laugh. Remember, this is an exercise in pretending to care, or at least giving the impression that you could be convinced to give a s!@#. Project Veritas has been had! They’ve been took! Hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray! Run amok! They’re out $165,000 due to what O’Keefe calls an “attack” by “fraudsters.”
Clck through for details. (File this under “karma”)

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 9/15/2021

 Posted by at 11:35 am  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 152021
 

Glenn Kirschner – California Recall Election Results Being Attacked by Larry Elder BEFORE the Election is Even Held

Meidas Touch – MAGA is getting CRAZIER because they are LOSING… And they KNOW IT! (I hope he’s right – I think.)

politicsrus – Abortion Part 2mp4

When will these attacks on American democracy end?

Ring of Fire – AOC Brutally Mocks Sarah Palin

Robert Reich – The $3.5T Bill Corporate America Is Terrified Of

Beau – Let’s talk about trying to debunk a claim about Delta….

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Open Thread for September 13, 2021

 Posted by at 6:31 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 132021
 

Yesterday was pretty quiet. For a while in the afternoon rin poured and thunder roared, which at least kept the temprature down. My energy, however, remained low.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker – The Agent
Quote – Yemen was a particularly difficult place to start a terrorist investigation, as it was filled with active Al Qaeda cells and with sympathizers at very high levels of government.
Click through if you will. It’s quite long because it’s quite in depth, and it’s hair-raising. I chose that quote because you could make it present tense, substitute “the United States” for “Yemen” and “Y’all Qaeda” for “Al Qaeda,” and it would be true.

Law & Crime – Judge Refuses to Let Jacob Chansley Out of Jail Ahead of Sentencing, Calls Him a ‘Mascot’ for QAnon and ‘Hopes’ He’s Really Had a Change of Heart
Quote – The federal judge who has presided over Jacob Chansley’s criminal case doesn’t appear to be entirely convinced that the so-called “QAnon Shaman” of Jan. 6 has had a change of heart and renounced the sprawling conspiracy theory for which he is a “mascot.” Senior Judge Royce Lamberth, a Ronald Reagan appointee, said in a memorandum opinion and order unsealed Friday that Chansley will not be allowed to get out of jail ahead of sentencing for obstruction of an official proceeding.
Click through for story. Hey, it’s something.

The Guardian – Six US Capitol police officers could face discipline for 6 January actions
Quote – Investigators were able to identify officers involved in 26 of the cases [out of 38 investigations], the statement said, and found no evidence of wrongdoing in 20. Of the other six, it said, three are cited for conduct unbecoming, one for failing to comply with directives, one for improper remarks, and one for “improper dissemination of information”.
Click throughfor little detail but much privacy. We did know some of the officers were more accommodating than needed be. We can hope these are they.

Food for Thought –

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